Women's Soccer Tops Rock Valley in NJCAA Tourney

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Two second-half goals from the Anne Arundel Community College women's soccer team lifted the Riverhawks to a 4-3 win over seventh seed Rock Valley College in Pool B play at the NJCAA DII Championships Monday afternoon.

AACC will now face second seed Johnson City at 12:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, November 19, with the winner advancing to the semifinals. The game will be streamed live on the NJCAA Network.

Emma Miga had a goal and two assists for the 11^th-seeded Riverhawks (14-2-1), while Jaylin Sheffield, Makenzie Boyd, and McKenzie Gilbert each added a goal.

With the game tied, 2-2, in the 72^nd minute, Boyd intercepted a clearing pass from the Rock Valley keeper about eight yards outside of the box, took a step and tucked the ball just inside the right post for a 3-2 AACC lead. Gilbert headed in a corner from Miga in the 81^st minute to cement the win.

Sheffield put AACC on the board early in the game, finishing off a rebound from Miga in the sixth minute. Miga edged the Riverhawks ahead in the 24^th minute, sending in a long loft shot for her 16^th goal of the season.

Rock Valley (17-4-1) came out attacking in the second half with a pair of shots in the first five minutes, and had scored back-to-back goals less than a minute apart to tie it up, 2-2, by the 64^th minute. Emma Ambrose connected on a direct kick from just outside the box to put the Golden Eagles on the board, and Keyla Suarez finished a pass from Adilene Perez to tie the game.

Annika Elgin scored for the Golden Eagles with three seconds left in the game, one-timing a cross from Hailey Westphal, but it was too little too late.

Pela Saunders made nine saves for the Riverhawks, including five in the second half. Rock Valley keeper Naitzy Garcia made three stops.

Rock Valley outshot AACC, 17-10, overall, yet the Riverhawks maintained a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks.